Archeological park Simonov zaliv Izola

After the foundation of the Roman colony Aquileia in 181 BC., a great part of Istria came under the Roman authority. The process of Romanization can be noticed especially in the intense settling of the coastal area and also its hinterland. One of such settlement complexes is the roman coastal villa with a port in Simonov zaliv bay.

On the basis of more than a hundred years of archeological research which has increased in time, the archeological site San Simon was proclaimed a cultural monument of national significance in 1999 because of its archeological, historical, artistic, settlement, regional and other unique features.

The archeological sites were found on a four-hectare land where they discovered the remains of the coastal residential roman villa (villae maritimae) with an outbuilding and the largest port of that time. Together they represent one of the greatest estates in this part of Istria. The rooms of the roman villa are paved with priceless black and white mosaics.

The port with two piers that make the quay safe and enabled the landing of the ships when it was very windy is a typical roman port. During the excavations the ruins of an antique aqueduct were discovered. The roman villa complex in Simonov zaliv bay enables a thorough research of the Italic civilization, which once prospered in Istria.